Antares
Antares is the premier fighter plane of the Gra Valkas Empire. In the New World , it is superior to all other aircraft of the Second and Central Civilizations, but is considered obsolete by Japan's standards. Description The Antares is described as a propeller-driven, low-wing, monoplane, powered by a radial, 1,000 horsepower, internal combustion engine. It has an enclosed cockpit, and is armed with two 20 mm cannon and two 7.7 mm machine guns. It is said to be capable of speeds of 550 km/hr (342 mph) and is highly maneuverable, equivalent to the Mitsubishi A6M Zero Type 21 fighter plane of World War II (However, engine power, wing area and range are slightly better). However, it seems that its bulletproof performance is better than that of Zero fighters, with thicker armor and other self-repairing mechanisms (possibly young rubber armor) to protect the cockpit and fuel tank. In addition, the center of the propeller is painted spiral, which was a method of the former Luftwaffe to identify enemies or friends. They are used both on aircraft carriers and on the ground bases. The Antares is more than a match against Wyvern forces and even the Marin biplane of the Mu Civilization. They had even outmatched the famed magical fighter craft of the Holy Milishial Empire during the New World War. However, they proved to be completely ineffective against the technologically superior F-15J and F-2 jet fighters of Japan. In virtually every encounter against the Japan Air Self Defense Force, the Antares fighters were not able to put up a semblance of a fight before being shot down by missiles or cannon fire. Due to their short-range weapons and virtually no on-board radar, the fighters are completely defenseless against opponents that can attack beyond visual range. In many instances, the fighters were shot down long before they realized the enemy had detected them on radar and fired missiles at them. Furthermore, the Antares has no night-operation capability and pilots must return to their carriers and bases before nightfall, or risk crashing in the dark. Carriers and bases can only open their searchlights to guide in late flyers but that runs the risk of being seen by the enemy. Operational History The Antares fighters were first used during the Naval Battle of Magdola, where they easily out-fought the jet-propelled fighters and bombers of the Holy Milishial Empire. They would later take part in the Battle of the Folk Strait, where several were shot down by the Japanese Coast Guard ship.Their first major losses occurred during the invasion of Mu, when several squadrons were unable to stop F-15J and F-2 fighters from conducting an airstrike on the Barbarus Air Base. The Antares would also fail to support the 4th Armored Division, leading to more pilots being shot down and the 4th being wiped out. During the invasion of Japan by the Great Fleet, Ninety-two fighters were scrambled to intercept a flight of jets and bombers on their way to perform a saturation missile strike on the 1st Advance Fleet. Except for a single survivor, all would be shot down by the escorting F-15J jets. Trivia Category:Technology Category:Weapons